Captain's Legacy
by avengersmaniac15
Summary: Steve gets Peggy's letters after her death, and he finds something interesting in them related to one if his teammates. Turns out their Hawk is super powered after all. Pairings also included. Rating for eventual smut.
1. Chapter 1

Steve was in his room that T'Challa had given him. It was very modern and high tech. He was surprised that a reclusive nation like Wakanda was so technologically advanced. But he wasn't complaining. Years of living in Avengers Tower had him prepared for any technology.

Bucky had gone in cryo just couple of hours ago. His team who he had rescued from the prison Raft was getting adjusted to living in their own space. Steve closed his eyes. He had made so many mistakes in the last few days. Now he had turned his team into a bunch of fugitives.

He can't thank T'Challa enough for granting them protection.

As he was sorting through things he came across a wooden box. It had a fingerprint scanner on its lid. Stuck on the side of the box was a note saying, For Steve. Steve was curious as to what held the box. He checked the box on the outside and saw something scribed on the underside. It was a name.

Peggy Carter

So this box belonged to Peggy. He put his finger on the scanner. It scanned and the box seemed to click open. He opened the box and saw that it was filled with pictures and letters. The top letter was the one that was the most recent one. Thinking, Peggy's words will offer him comfort, he opened it. It said,

Dear Steve

How are you? If you are reading this then I'm dead and this box and its contents have reached you. I know you Steve; you will let your grief consume you. Don't let it. But I'm writing this letter to tell you about something else.  
Steve I'm sure you remember the night after Bucky fell of the train. It was a cold night but a one full of grief. What happened between us then? And then you crashed into the ice and I was alone again.  
Or so I had thought.  
Steve, you had left a little of yourself in me. I lost you but still had you. Yes, Steve you have a son. You know he looks like you, blonde hair and blue eyes and very handsome. Has always been a lady killer.  
I guess I'm telling you this is because he won't. You see all his life he had to hide who he was. He knows you are his father, but he has had to keep it a secret all his life. For his own protection because he inherited your serum.  
But now its just father and son, now that I'm gone. Steve, please get to know him. He works for SHIELD and goes by the name of Clint Barton. He took the last name of one of my American Cousins.  
I hope you two get to know him very well. It may be a long road, but I know you will get Clint to open up.  
I love you.  
Your best girl

Peggy Carter

Steve sat there stunned. He was a father. And of one of his teammates. He clearly remembered the night when Bucky had fallen of the train. Peggy and him had come together in their grief and love. He had held on to the person who he loved the most. He hadn't regretted that night.

But knowing he had a son and missed on so much of his life, Steve felt his heart clench. He leafed through hundreds of photos. They were all of Clint and Peggy. Sometimes they were with Howard and the rest of the family.

Now that Steve actually looked, Clint still didn't look like he was anything above 30. He could see the resemblance between them. Blonde hair, Clint's was a little darker but their eyes were exactly alike. Steve wondered how much Clint had been holding back in his life. He wondered if Sharon knew who Clint was.

He had to confront him.

And he would, tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Clint was cooking in the spacious kitchen that T'Challa had given to the team. He was grateful to the young King for offering them protection. Clint knew all of them were fugitives having not signed the Accords.

He was going to have to call Barney and tell him he won't be back for some time. He wanted Barney to assure his kids that Uncle Clint would come by later. Yes, the family he had introduced to his teammates last year was his cousin, Barney's family. Only Natasha knew about this, and she thought Barney was her brother.

But that was far from the truth. The last few days had taken a toll on him. Between Mom dying and the Accords, Clint was tired. Yes, Clint was the son of Peggy Carter. But the real kicker was who his father was. It was Captain America.

Clint Barton was the son of Agent Carter and Captain Rogers.

He had lived with this secret all his life. He had to, for his own protection. He was actually 72 years old. Clint knew according to his fake birth certificate, he was actually 45 years old. Hell, he hardly looked like he was 30.

He was contemplating on telling Steve about their relation. With everything that has happened, they need to stick together. Bucky had gone on ice again and he knew his father would be feeling lonely.

But Clint was nervous. How would he approach Steve? He had to break it to him gently.

He really wished Natasha was here. She would have known what to do. Thinking about the redhead spy, Clint felt his heart twist. He knew Natasha had risked everything by letting Steve and Bucky escape. He also knew that she would have gone under the radar. He would find her once everything cooled down.

As he was filling his plate, Sharon came in. She looked weary and tired. Sharon had always been his favourite niece amongst his slew of nephews and nieces. She had followed his mother's footsteps even when her parents opposed.

"Hey, Share. How are you doing?" asked Clint.

"I'm fine. Slept for a little while. Is that lasagne?" asked Sharon.

"Yup, was in a bit of a mood for Mexican." he said.

He loaded a plate for Sharon and both ate in silence. Eventually Sharon spoke. "Are you going to tell him?" she asked.

Clint knew what see was asking. " I don't know, Share. Maybe in a few days." he said.

"Uncle Clint, we have to stick together." said Sharon in a small voice.

"Oh, Share we are going to." said Clint, taking Sharon in his arms.

He let her go after a few moments. He decided to change the subject. "How is Sam?" he asked in a teasing voice.

Sharon blushed. Clint let out a laugh. Everyone including Nat had thought she was infatuated with Captain America; however it was his winged friend that she really liked. She had kissed Steve but had not felt anything. As for his father, he knew Steve's heart had been lost to a certain former Deputy Director. He knew Maria liked him back but would never admit it. He was rooting for them.

"He is good. Is worried about Steve." she said.

Clint nodded. They all were.

Soon everyone sat at the table, T'Challa joining them. Clint saw Steve staring at him and just like that Clint knew that Steve knew.

Clint sighed. He knew mom would make certain contingencies in case he never told Steve anything. Lunch was an exciting affair, everyone talking. Clint looked at Wanda. She looked a little better. He knew she missed Vision.

After eating everyone except Steve and Clint left the kitchen. Sharon gave Clint a look and he nodded.

Game time.


	3. Chapter 3

Clint and Steve were washing dishes in silence. The tension was playable. Steve kept glancing at Clint who was working in silence. He had slept on the revelation and now he wanted answers.

"I guess you have questions?" asked Clint.

"Yeah. Were you ever going to tell me?" asked Steve.

"I was. I just needed time. After everything that's happened in the last few days, I needed to break it to you gently. I'm guessing mom told you about me in a letter or something." said Clint.

Steve's eyes softened. The last few days had been hard on everyone. He can only imagine what Clint had gone through. His mother dying and he is separated from his wife and kids. Steve had wrecked his son's domestic life.

"Did you contact Laura and your kids?" asked Steve.

Steve saw Clint's eyes widened. He saw his son cough and look a little sheepish.

"Yeah, that is one more thing. Laura is not my wife. She is my cousin, Barney's wife." said Clint, letting out a nervous laugh.

"So you aren't a father?" asked Steve.

"Oh, hell no. Can you imagine the danger they'd be in. I just sometime pose as Laura's husband so we can throw people of." said Clint.

Steve nodded. "Who knows about this?" he asked.

"Only Natasha and few other people. But Nat thinks Barney is my brother." said Clint.

"Who knows you are my son?" asked Steve. He wondered how many people at SHIELD knew or if Hydra knew.

Steve saw Clint staring at him with a smile.

"I know what you are thinking. But I am one of the best kept secrets of the century. The people who knew were Mom's family, Mom's husband, Mom's cousin whose name I had taken, the Howling Commandos and Howard. No one at SHIELD knew, well except Sharon. And you have no idea how much I had to train her to call me Clint and not Uncle Clint." Clint said.

Steve smiled. "Does Nat know?" he asked.

Clint shook his head. "No she doesn't nor does Fury. All my life I had to hold back and hide my identity. So I came up with the story about me joining a circus." he said.

"I understand. You said Peggy's husband knew?" asked Steve. He knew Peggy had married someone else, and he was curious about the man.

Clint nodded. "His name was Daniel Sousa. He was one of the soldiers you saved in that Hydra compound you raided to save 107th. He was with mom in the SSR." he said.

Steve watched as Clint had a rueful smile on his face.

"Did he treat you well?" asked Steve.

"Oh yes he did. He was a good man. There weren't many who would marry a woman with a son already. But I guess sometimes he resented me a bit. I was the living proof of the fact that mom would never truly move on. You know it took her almost 10 years to move on." said Clint.

Steve's heart clenched thinking about the pain Peggy had to go through. "Can you tell me about your childhood?" he asked.

"Sure. It was a good one. Maybe sometimes a little boring, having to live in secret but I couldn't complain. I was a child prodigy and attended Princeton University when I was 16. I have 2 PhD's, one in Maths and other in Mechanical Engineering." said Clint.

Steve was impressed. So Clint's dumb high school drop out was just an act. He was however curious about something. "Where did you learn archery?" he asked.

"Barney taught me. It started out as a hobby but I liked it so I continued with it." said Clint.

Steve nodded. "So, do you want to explain all this to the rest of the team?" he asked.

Clint was silent looking thoughtful. "I guess we should. But maybe sometime later." he said.

"Its fine by me." said Steve.

"So what are we going to do now? Keep protecting the world just in secret?" asked Clint.

Steve nodded. "That's the plan. But I'm not Captain America anymore." he said.

"I know, but you are still Steve Rogers, mom always saw you as Steve rather than Captain America, you just need a new moniker." said Clint.

"That is true. I was thinking Nomad because we are on the run." said Steve.

"That is a good one. I'm thinking about giving up the bow. It draws too much attention." said Clint.

"Then how are you going to fight?' asked Steve.

"Using a sword. I know swordsmanship and also fencing, plus hand to hand." said Clint.

"How good are you at Hand to Hand?' asked Steve.

"As good as you. I had to pretend to suck though." said Clint.

"If you are shedding the Hawkeye identity, then who are you going to be?" asked Steve.

"Ronin. It means master-less swordsman." said Clint.

"Sounds good." said Steve.

"One more thing, I was hoping we could find Nat after everything cools down." said Clint.

"Sure, maybe Maria could tell us." said Steve, thinking about the female agent for whom his feelings were deepening. He and Sharon had parted ways after she admitted to liking Sam. And Steve wanted Maria.

"You should ask her out. She likes you too." said Clint with a smirk.

"Will she say yes?" asked Steve.

"She isn't bound by regulations anymore. Plus mom wanted you to be happy." said Clint.

"But she works for Tony. It could seriously compromise us." said Steve.

"Dad, Maria is a spy, she can keep a secret." said Clint.

"OK, but then you have to admit something first." said Steve.

"What?" asked Clint, curiously.

"You are in love with Natasha, no." said Steve.

Clint sighed. "I guess I am." said Clint.

"Why didn't you ever tell her?" asked Steve.

"I guess because e had been friends for years and by the time I realized my feelings she had fallen for Bruce." said Clint with a bitter smile.

Steve's heart went out to his son. He had seen the hurt in Clint's eyes when Natasha had been flirting with Bruce. But then he had introduced them to Laura, who as it turns out was not Clint's actual wife.

"Why do you want to find Nat?" asked Steve.

"She can help us with Bucky's brainwashing. She knows a thing or two about Russian methods." said Clint.

Steve nodded. It made sense. "We will start after a few weeks." he said.

Clint nodded. "I'm going for a walk with Wanda." he said walking towards the door.

"Sure." said Steve as he watched Clint exit the room.

The talk had gone better than Steve had expected.

They would slowly build their relationship.

And maybe they will tell the team soon.

Steve let out a contented sigh and went to the gym that T'Challa had set up.

A little training would be good.


End file.
